Earth drilling apparatus

ABSTRACT

An earth drilling apparatus is disclosed herein. The earth drilling apparatus includes an exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes an inner barrel positionable within the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a drill bit releasibly engaged with the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a liner for retaining samples of earth and positionable within the inner barrel. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a shoe releasibly engaged with the inner barrel at a mounting location to selectively retain the liner in place. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a wiper mountable on the inner barrel at the mounting location when the shoe is removed. The wiper is operable to wipe the liner as the liner is removed from the inner barrel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an earth drilling apparatus.

2. Description of Related Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,634 discloses an APPARATUS FOR WIPING THE INTERIOR OF PIPES. The apparatus is provided for cleaning a drill string of drilling mud during tripping, the apparatus being provided with a mass and a volume such that it is able to float on a surface of the drilling mud in the drill string during the tripping operation. The apparatus includes a wiper device which is bellows-shaped, and a weight which is fastened to the top of the wiper device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, the invention is an earth drilling apparatus. The earth drilling apparatus includes an exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes an inner barrel positionable within the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a drill bit releasibly engaged with the exterior conduit. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a liner for retaining samples of earth and positionable within the inner barrel. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a shoe releasibly engaged with the inner barrel at a mounting location to selectively retain the liner in place. The earth drilling apparatus also includes a wiper mountable on the inner barrel at the mounting location when the shoe is removed. The wiper is operable to wipe the liner as the liner is removed from the inner barrel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description set forth below references the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an earth drilling apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an interchangeable shoe and wiper according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the exemplary wiper taken along section lines 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section analogous to the section shown in FIG. 3, but of another embodiment of the broader invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The invention, as demonstrated by the exemplary embodiment described below, can clean a liner of a drill core as the liner is removed from an inner barrel of the drill core. The liner can be coated in drilling fluid and mud when disposed in the inner barrel. The exemplary embodiment can clean the outside surface of the liner. Further, the exemplary embodiment can be a component that temporarily replaces an existing component of the drill core.

A plurality of different embodiments of the invention is shown in the Figures of the application. Similar features are shown in the various embodiments of the invention. Similar features have been numbered with a common reference numeral and have been differentiated by an alphabetic suffix. Also, to enhance consistency, the structures in any particular drawing share the same alphabetic suffix even if a particular feature is shown in less than all embodiments. Similar features are structured similarly, operate similarly, and/or have the same function unless otherwise indicated by the drawings or this specification. Furthermore, particular features of one embodiment can replace corresponding features in another embodiment or can supplement other embodiments unless otherwise indicated by the drawings or this specification.

A first exemplary embodiment can be part of a wireline core retrieval system. The exemplary embodiment includes an earth drilling apparatus 10. The earth drilling apparatus 10 includes an exterior conduit 12. The earth drilling apparatus 10 also includes an inner barrel 14 positionable within the exterior conduit 12. The inner barrel 14 can be withdrawn from the exterior conduit 12 by attaching an extraction cable to a finger assembly 32; the finger assembly 32 is attached to the inner barrel 14.

The earth drilling apparatus 10 also includes a drill bit 16 releasibly engaged with the exterior conduit 12. The earth drilling apparatus 10 also includes a liner 20 for retaining samples of earth. The liner 20 is positionable within the inner barrel 14.

The earth drilling apparatus 10 also includes a shoe 22 releasibly engaged with a first end 18 of the inner barrel 14. The shoe can be affixed to the inner barrel 14 at a mounting location 24. The exemplary mounting location 24 includes external threads formed on the inner barrel 14. The shoe 22 can retain the liner 20 in place during operation of the apparatus 10. The exemplary shoe 22 includes internal threads (not shown) that can mate with the threads at the mounting location 24.

The earth drilling apparatus 10 also includes a wiper 26 mountable on the inner barrel 14. The wiper 26 can be interconnected with the inner barrel 14 at the mounting location 24 when the shoe 22 is removed. The wiper 26 is operable to wipe the liner 20 as the liner 20 is removed from the inner barrel 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the exemplary wiper 26 can include a sealing member 28. The exemplary wiper 26 can also include a housing 30 engaged with the sealing member 28. The housing 30 includes internal threads that can mate with the threads at the mounting location 24.

In one or more embodiments of the broader invention, the wiper 26 can be discontinuous about a perimeter of the liner 20. The sealing member 28 can contact less than a full circumference of the liner 20. For example, the circular sealing member 28 can seal against the periphery of the liner 20 and include at least one notch interrupting the sealing periphery. In other embodiments, the sealing member 28 can include a plurality of notches interrupting the sealing periphery. Exemplary notches are shown in phantom in FIG. 3. The notches can allow some fluid to exit from the inside of the inner barrel 14 at controlled locations.

In an exemplary method for obtaining samples of earth, the exterior conduit 12 can be positioned in soil. The inner barrel 14 can be located within the exterior conduit 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The drill bit 16 can be engaged with the exterior conduit 12. A drilling operation can be performed and samples of earth can be retained in the liner 20 as the liner is disposed within the inner barrel 14.

The shoe 22 can retain the liner 20 in place within the inner barrel 14. The shoe 22 can be engaged with the inner barrel 14 at the mounting location 24. The shoe 22 can maintain the liner 20 in place during the drilling operation.

After the drilling operation, the inner barrel 14 can be withdrawn from the exterior conduit 12. The shoe 22 can be removed from the inner barrel 14 after the inner barrel 14 is withdrawn. When the shoe 22 is removed, the liner 20 can project out from the inner barrel 14 some distance.

The wiper 26 can be mounted on the inner barrel 14 at the mounting location 24 after the shoe 22 is removed. FIG. 2 shows the interchangeability of the shoe 22 and wiper 26 relative to the mounting location 24. The threads of the housing 30 can mate with the threads of the mounting location 24. The exposed end of the liner 20 can be inserted through the opening of the sealing member 28 and the housing 30 can then be rotated to engage the mating threads. The liner 20 can then be drawn from the inner barrel 14, through the wiper 26. The exterior of the liner 20 is thereby cleaned of mud and drilling fluid.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section analogous to the section shown in FIG. 3, but of another embodiment of the broader invention. A second exemplary wiper 26 a includes a sealing member 28 a. The second exemplary wiper 26 a also includes a housing 30 a engaged with the sealing member 28 a and defining threads 34 a. The exemplary sealing member 28 a is defined by a plurality of o-rings 36 a, 38 a, 40 a. The o-rings 36 a, 38 a, 40 a can be received in grooves 42 a, 44 a, 46 a, respectively, defined in the housing 30 a. The o-rings 36 a, 38 a, 40 a can contact and seal against a liner (not shown).

The exemplary housing 30 a can also include a plurality of apertures angularly spaced from one another about a central axis 48 a. The exemplary apertures are positioned between the sealing member 28 a and the threads 34 a along the central axis 48 a. One of the apertures is referenced at 50 a, but several are illustrated. As a liner is drawn through the wiper 26 a, the o-rings 36 a, 38 a, 40 a can prevent mud and water and drilling fluid from passing with the liner. This material could accumulate in the housing 30 a, but the apertures such as aperture 50 a allow this material to escape out of the housing 30 a.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Further, the “invention” as that term is used in this document is what is claimed in the claims of this document. The right to claim elements and/or sub-combinations that are disclosed herein as other inventions in other patent documents is hereby unconditionally reserved. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An earth drilling apparatus comprising: an exterior conduit; an inner barrel positionable within said exterior conduit; a drill bit releasibly engaged with said exterior conduit; a liner for retaining samples of earth and positionable within said inner barrel; a shoe releasibly engaged with said inner barrel at a mounting location to selectively retain said liner in place; and a wiper mountable on said inner barrel at said mounting location when said shoe is removed, said wiper operable to wipe said liner as said liner is removed from said inner barrel.
 2. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper is further defined as being discontinuous about a perimeter of said liner.
 3. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wiper further comprises: a circular sealing member defining a sealing periphery and at least one notch interrupting said sealing periphery.
 4. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 3 wherein said wiper further comprises: a circular sealing member defining a sealing periphery and a plurality of notches interrupting said sealing periphery.
 5. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wiper further comprises: a sealing member; a housing engaged with said sealing member and defining threads.
 6. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 5 wherein the sealing member is further defined as at least one o-ring.
 7. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the sealing member is further defined as a plurality of o-rings.
 8. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 5 wherein the housing further comprises: at least one aperture positioned between said sealing member and said threads along a central axis of said housing.
 9. The earth drilling apparatus of claim 8 wherein said at least one aperture further comprises: a plurality of apertures angularly spaced from one another about said central axis.
 10. A method for obtaining samples of earth comprising the steps of: disposing an exterior conduit in soil; positioning an inner barrel within the exterior conduit; releasibly engaging a drill bit with the exterior conduit; retaining samples of earth in a liner disposed within the inner barrel; retaining the liner in place within the inner barrel with a shoe releasibly engageable with the inner barrel at a mounting location; withdrawing the inner barrel from the exterior conduit after said retaining step; removing the shoe from the inner barrel after said withdrawing step; mounting a wiper on the inner barrel at the mounting location; and drawing the liner from the inner barrel through the wiper.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of: contacting less than a full circumference of the liner with the wiper. 